This invention relates generally to aquariums and more particularly to an aquarium system that is comprised of a fish tank, a stand and an encased cover, wherein unclarified water is drawn downwards by gravity and filtered below the tank before being pumped upwards into the encased cover, where it is aerated and heated while being returned to the tank in a waterfall fashion and whereby the entire system is regulated by a programmable timer.
An aquarium is an artificial environment that contains a limited volume of water used to sustain fish and aquatic plant life, therefore, it is necessary to fully regulate and maintain a balanced, pollutant free environment therein. To accomplish this, the periodic filtration of aquarium water is necessary to remove organic waste and other impurities that accumulate in the gravel at the bottom of the tank.
One of the most commonly used methods of filtration is that of the undergravel filtering unit, as in Sesholtz, U.S. Pat. No. 3,516,544, where perforated grating is placed on the bottom of the tank beneath the gravel, with plastic suction units mounted at each end. This filtering unit is made operative when air from a separate aerator unit is pumped through one tube of each suction unit, causing water to be forced upwards through the other tube. This action creates a suction beneath the gravel, causing unclarified water to be drawn downwards through the gravel, where organic waste and other impurities remain trapped therein.
Another common method of filteration, is that of the power filter unit, which is usually mounted on the side of the tank and is sometimes used in conjunction with an undergravel filter unit.
With this unit, unclarified water is pumped from beneath the gravel into a water compartment housed within a filter unit, where it is circulated through filter medium before being returned to the tank.
These methods are adequate, however, they are required to function constantly in order to achieve their purpose and will usually require frequent cleaning and changing of the filter medium.
Furthermore, due to the failure of these methods to effectively breakdown and remove organic waste and other impurities trapped in the gravel at the bottom of the tank, the time consuming task of cleaning the entire tank is necessary.
In order to maintain aquatic life within an aquarium, some form of aeration and lumination, along with the introduction of heat into the tank is also necessary.
The most common method of aeration is that provided by an electric aerator, that forces air through plastic tubing and discharges it in the form of bubbles inside the tank.
The most common method of supplying light for an aquarium is usually that of a fluorescent light unit mounted inside the cover of the tank.
The most common method of heating aquarium water is that provided by an edge mounted electric heater, whose heating element, housed in protective glass, is projected down into the tank, where it slowly raises the water temperature.
These units are effective, however, they lack the ability to maintain a balanced environment created by evenly distributing oxygen, light and heat throughout the entire tank.
Usually, the filter, aerator, light and heater are separate units made to be mounted on the side, back or top of the tank. However, advances have been made to incorporate some, or all of these units into one housing, as in Huyler, U.S. Pat. No. 3,892,199.
In this unit, unclarified water is pumped upwards, preferrably at a rate of 180 to 210 gallons per hour, from an undergravel filter unit located inside the tank, into a main housing, where it is filtered and heated before being aerated while spilling back into the tank.
This unit improved on most of the problems associated with previous units, however, this unit is also required to function constantly in order to achieve its purpose and will require frequent cleaning.
Furthermore, even at a high rate of circulation, this unit could not prevent the eventual build-up of organic waste and other impurities in the gravel at the bottom of the tank, therefore, the time consuming task of cleaning the entire tank, continued to be necessary.
The present invention overcomes problems associated with previous units and complements the use of a fluorescent light unit as well as an electric aerator unit.
This system also supplies a means by which to regulate its unique below-the-tank gravity filter system, which will virtually eliminate the time consuming task of cleaning the entire tank.